May 18, 2009:ESPN said today (May 18) that former NFL head coach Jon Gruden would replace Tony Kornheiser beginning this season in the Monday Night Footballbroadcast booth, sitting alongside Mike Tirico and analyst Ron Jaworski. Kornheiser said he would be leaving MNF after three years because "My fear of planes is legendary and true," according to his statement. He will main on ESPN as part of Pardon The Interruption along with Michel Wilbon. "I kept looking at the schedule the past month and wanted to find a way to quietly extricate myself." Gruden's first MNF appearance will be Aug. 14, a preseason game and rematch of Super Bowl XLIII between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. The first regular season game will be on Sept. 14 featuring the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills with Terrell Owens. Gruden, who has been nicknamed "Chucky" due to his resemblance to the evil movie character, was head coach of the Oakland Raiders before going to Tampa Bay, where he guided the Buccaneers to victory in Super Bowl XXXVII. Gruden was dismissed as Bucs' head coach in January.